This project will help women to produce a protein-rich food supplement to offer to young children and mothers at the Mother and Child Health Clinics in Lesotho, in Southern Africa, so that children with adequate nutrition will survive past their fifth year, grow to their proper height and children and mothers will develop their immune systems to fight off disease. Other youth and women will grow and sell organic vegetables in the community at a reasonable cost and improve their own livelihoods.
Thirty-five percent of the population are considered 'stunted' which means that children between birth and the age of two do not have adequate protein in their diet for growth or immune system development. Many children and mothers have not survived because poor nutrition does not allow their immune system to develop adequately to fight disease. The country could grow their own foods but most are imported from South Africa. Poor soils, climate change effects and unemployment must be dealt with.
Initially, using the natural resources, concentrating plant protein with extraction of local plants to produce the food supplement and distribution to young children and mothers will support a nutritional need. Involvement of the youth and women in the community to produce the supplement, to gather or grow plants for their leaves and organic vegetables will develop a sustainable attitude of community service. Community members will profit from healthy foods and, farmers will have more income.
Children and mothers will become healthier, having taken supplement and eaten healthy foods so the level of stunting of children will decrease and be eliminated. Increase of youth employment will provide a source of income, increased autonomy and buying power so that the whole economy will be improved. When this initial project has become established, others in the country and in other countries where needed can be developed. There will be a decrease in need for 'food aid' from outside donors.
This project has provided additional documentation in a DOCX file (projdoc.docx).
